Planet X - Quantum (2007)

“Now, with King Crimson and Discipline, that came out decades ago – as did all of the other records. But I have to break out of that mold with a fairly recent one, and that would be Quantum.

“I have to say that two of the most influential drummers to me – or favorite drummers – are Dennis Chambers and Horacio Hernandez. I have to give them that credit. But I can't list any one record of theirs because anything they do sticks out to me.

“So with Quantum, it’s a specific record. And what Virgil Donati does on the album with his side-to-side coordination is the final frontier of the drums to expand the body. My tiny little contribution to drums on a technical level is the crisscrossing thing that nobody had done, which is the full lefty – not just the hands but the feet – and full righty as an orchestral approach to rock ‘n’ roll. That’s my little calling thing that made me bond with Virgil and Marco Minnemann. We help one another progress.

“Virgil tapped into this first, as far as I’m aware, and his use of it on Quantum is utterly astounding. I have to include this album as a jump to the next level of drumming."

Honorable mention: "State Of Euphoria by Anthrax. Charlie Benante’s single strokes with his feet, bar none, are the best I’ve ever heard. To this day, that record is just freaky. The dude must own stock in Mountain Dew! [laughs] I have to give a call to this record because it’s probably the bridge album between the top nine and Quantum.”